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NC State Receives Commitment From Three-Star TE

This three-star tight end pledged his commitment to NC State.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Oct 25, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack tight end Justin Joly (7) celebrates with running back Hollywood Smothers (3) after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack tight end Justin Joly (7) celebrates with running back Hollywood Smothers (3) after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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North Carolina State Wolfpack

While NC State just extended an offer to Stephen Brown a month ago, they were able to quickly get the job done and earn his commitment to the Wolfpack. NC State was competing against Texas Tech, but in the end, Brown chose head coach Dave Doeren.

Brown is a 6'7'' 205-pound tight end out of Chicago, IL. He currently plays for Marist High School and is a Top 50 player in the state.

Overall, he's the No. 122-ranked tight end in the Class of 2026. Doeren now has 19 commitments for the upcoming class, but Brown's was important as it marked the first tight end to commit for the Class of '26.

Stephen Brown's NC State Commitment

One of the most intriguing things about Brown is how well his style of play translated to football. He may be officially listed as an athlete, but NC State is looking to bring him in as a tight end. Brown is no stranger to sports, as he was an extremely talented basketball player who held offers from the likes of Arizona State, Illinois, and Miami.

NC State was able to win him over as he attended their Nov 1 upset over Georgia Tech. Had he visited for a different game, who knows if he would've chosen the Wolfpack over the Red Raiders?

NC State's massive 48-36 win put them ahead of Texas Tech, and it certainly helped that he visited with the Wolfpack before he visited Texas Tech.

  • “It was a great atmosphere and the fans were awesome,” Brown said after his visit. “It was a great game and saw it happen. Raleigh is a great area with a lot of stuff to do. It’s a great place to live.”

NC State's Class of 2026

NC State being able to compete with Texas Tech for quality prospects shows just how much work Doeren has done with this program. It's not like the Wolfpack were an afterthought, but they've struggled to win consistently, though upsets like their win over the Yellow Jackets tend to happen on any given gameday.

With just two home games left, the Wolfpack have a few more visitors lined up in the coming weeks. Doeren and company know this is their last chance to make an impression on recruits, whether they are in the Class of 2026 or not. Currently, NC State has the No. 57 overall Class of '26, according to 247Sports.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.